Lieutenant
by Elisewrites
Summary: Second lieutenant June Baker has gained some attention for her hard work in the force. Unfortunately it leads to a tricky situation, along with new abilities and a new team.
1. Chapter 1

A hand grabs June's shoulder from behind. A dark and reassuring voice reaches her ear.

"You ready for this, lieutenant?"

She turns around, meeting the eyes of her higher officer.

"Yes, sir. It's a low-risk mission, I'm not worried."

June's voice is clear and confident. She's been ready for this since she first stepped into her first boot camp at 18. This was just another mission to overcome to get to the next one.

The captain nods approvingly.

"Take the crew to the south base, stay out of trouble and deliver the goods. I'm trusting you, lieutenant."

June salutes her captain and stepped into the vehicle before telling the driver to go.

* * *

She climbs out of the car, grabs her gun and unsecure it. Her heart is beating so loud she can hear opens her eyes and is met with the bright light of the sun making the snow even brighter. Bells are ringing in her ears and she feels a sharp pain in her head and side. The last thing she remembers is a loud bang and the car in front of her exploding, shooting parts and flames, making the car she's in roll over as well. A mine. There shouldn't be mines here, this area was cleared.

"John, are you ok?"

She screams shakily while looking around, seeking cover behind the car.

"I'm good."

A strained voice comes from the car she had just climbed out of. The driver, John, slowly climbs out, trying not to move his lower body too much. June scans through his body and realizes his leg is bloody through his uniform, most likely broken.

"Your leg."

She states while looking at him worried.

"I think the bone broke through the skin, but I'll be fine until we get the situation under control."

He answers, clearly in pain.

June stands up. If this was a direct attack they would have come to overpower them by now.

"You contact the Captain and I'll secure the other car."

She secures her gun and places it back in its place. The car in the front still has some burning pieces around it but the initial blow has seemed to pass. June swallows as she squats down to look inside the car. Blood is splattered inside it and she understands immediately that the driver and passenger could not have survived.

June steps back and can feel her pulse increase once more. The sight makes her want to vomit. She's never seen a dead person before, not even at a funeral. Her knees feel week, but she resists the urge to fall back and cry. She's prepared for this she tells herself. This is part of the job. Still, her eyes start to water.

"Report back and say we've got two injured and two dead!"

She yells with an unsteady voice.

As soon as she turns around she's met by something hard to the face and falls into unconsciousness.

She doesn't know how long she's been out or where she is. But what she does know, is that she's in trouble. She hasn't opened her eyes yet, but she can feel that her hands, legs and head is restrained. She wiggles her feet bit it's no use. The pain in her head and side is still pulsing and she assumes it's a strained rib and maybe a concussion. Finally, she opens her eyes to be met by another bright light. This time it's not the natural light from the sun, but a big lightbulb. She tries to look around, still with her head restrained. The room is covered in white tiles and there are several medical instruments by a table next to her.

* * *

'oh god, where am I?'

Her thoughts are raising. Who has taken her? This wasn't an enemy area. Her deployment was to an area on hold, only for reassurance should there break out any civil wars in the country. The goods she was transferring where food, electronics and a simple project report.

A door opened and her thoughts were interrupted.

"Ah, I see you've awoken. Oh, well, it does not matter."

A man dressed in a white suit, resembling a doctor, walks in, followed by a man in a suit with a round monocle over his right eye.

"Who are you, and why am I here?"

June tries to hide her fear but the shakiness of her voice reveals it all.

The suited man's face twists into an unsettling smirk.

"June Baker. 23 years old, second lieutenant in the US army by an early age. Impressive tests result both physical and mental. Am I right?"

June locks eyes with the suited man. How could he know all this about her? And why was that important. She was hardly anywhere near the special force. Yet.

"Why does that matter?"

The suited man slides his fingers over his bald head, again with the twisted smirk.

"Because, lieutenant, you are going to be my new little toy."

June don't know how to reply to this. What did he mean by that? But before she gets to ask the question the doctor picks up a syringe and shoots it into her neck.

She hisses in pain and clenches her fists.

"What is this? Let me go! Now!"

She cries out as she feels her neck starting to burn from the inside.

The doctor turns around to the suited man after finishing the injection.

"Do you want me to erase her memory, sir?"

"No, she's got information I want first. But we'll see how well she handles the serum."

The suited man turns around and walks towards the door, ignoring June's cries and curses. Soon enough she feels her conciseness slipping and the burning spreads to her whole body.

* * *

"I can see people, five or six guards I assume!"

Stark is flying over an unkept and seemingly abandoned building.

"I'm on it!"

Steve rushes through and is instantly met by bullets. He covers himself with his shield and runs straight for them, knocking down one by one.

"Ok, now down the hall and into the room on the left seems to be our missing beauty."

Starks directs.

"She's a lieutenant, Stark, show some respect."

Steve grunts as he follows the hallway.

He opens the door and find June lying on the table, in the same position the was left hours ago. She's still unconscious, covered in a feverish sweat. He looks around the room for any files but it's empty other than her and the medical kit. He unties her and pick her up carefully.

"I've got her, she's alive!"

He says through the earpiece as he's rushing back to the outside of the building.

"Good, Redhead's got the quinjet ready."

* * *

'I'm getting tired of this'

June wakes up yet again. But this time the groggy feeling of being beat unconscious isn't there. She can still feel a slight sting in her side, but it's not nearly as painful as it was earlier. Her arms are still tied down, but not her head or feet.

'I've been moved'

She thinks as she opens her eyes. This room looks nothing near the one she was in before she fell unconscious. She's in an actual bed and not an operating table. There are monitors to her chest that goes to a heart monitor and fluids through her arm.

"Hello?"

June calls out, hoping that the suited man or doctor are gone.

Another man in a suit comes in. This man doesn't look nearly as intimidating as the other.

"Hello, I'm agent Phil Coulson. You're lieutenant June Baker."

He states as he smiles carefully and extends his hand. Seconds after he realizes that June is tied down and awkwardly pulls his hand back.

"You're at the S.H.I.E.L.D base back in the US. You're safe."

June stares at him with puzzled eyes. She's having a tough time understanding what has happened and why.

"What happened?"

Agent Coulson stiffens as he prepares to tell her.

"You were taken by HYDRA, an enemy. But we saved you and brought you here. We've noticed your higher officers and we will take care of you."

Silence fills the room as June thinks.

"If I'm safe, then why am I restrained?"

She narrows her eyes, not fully believing him. Why should she?

The agent shrugs slightly looking more uncomfortable.

"We had to make sure you were yourself. We're running tests to understand exactly what HYDRA did to you."

"I feel fine. I want to be let go."

June states calmly. On the inside she's still scared, but she refuses to show it.

"I'm afraid I can't do that until I get a clearance. I can however put the TV on for you. If you want me to?"

He points to the TV on the wall with a slight smile.

"No thank you."

"Are you hungry?"

He seems nice and she does feel safer here. But the feeling of being trapped does not go well with her.

"No."

Agent Coulson sighs quietly before he turns the TV on and switches to something uninteresting.

"If you want anything, just call, I'll be here."

He turns around and walks to the door before turning around again.

"You are safe here."

As he leaves June lets go of a shaky sigh herself. She wanted to go home. Home to her flat, or her parents. This didn't feel good. Her adrenaline levels were still spiked and she was still in survival mood. She could cry when she got out.

* * *

"Tony, you have to look at this!"

Bruce exclaims from the lab.

"Found anything?"

Tony comes in, anxious to figure out what had been injected to the lieutenant.

"Her cells, they aren't as of a regular person."

Bruce explains as he turns away from the samples.

"They seem to regenerate when I put stress on them."

"Strange."

Tony mumbles as he examines the results.

"Do you think it's possible she's a super human like Steve now?"

Bruce asks and takes his glasses off to rub his eyes.

"It's possible. But I don't know if I can deal with another one."

Tony says, sipping whiskey from his glass.

* * *

It's been a couple of hours since June woke up. She's staring at the TV but her mind is somewhere far away. She's taken back to the present time as a woman walks into the room.

"How are you feeling lieutenant? I'm Mariah. I'm just going to change your bandages."

The nurse smiles and gets out a bandage roll and some other medical cleaning supply.

"I'm ok, thank you."

June answers flatly.

The nurse smiles as she starts removing the bandage from June's side, apparently, she did get a bit more hurt than she thought she had.

"You had a nasty cut in your side, but it's very usual not to notice it at first if you're in a stressful situation as you- "

The nurse stops talking as the bandages is removed and stares at June's stomach.

"If you'll just excuse me for a bit, I just need to get a doctor to look at you."

She smiles nervously and hurries out of the room.

June sits up and looks at her side. It was bruised and did have a large cut on her side, but it looked more like she had gotten it weeks ago, not the other day. Her heart begins racing again and she can fell her breathing become more and more shallow. What was happening to her? Her heart monitor starts beeping loudly and panic starts spreading through her body. Something is very wrong.

* * *

Steve enters the meeting room. Nick Fury is standing at the end of the table where Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Tony, Thor and agent Hill and Coulson is sitting around.

"Glad to see you could finally come Captain."

Fury nods for him to sit down.

"So, what's up with the girl?"

Clint questions.

"Good, question. We don't know yet. But so far she seems to recover from her injuries faster than any normal person would."

Fury answers, crossing his arms.

"So, we've got another super human?"

Steve frowns.

"Well, the samples we took shows a very speedy recovery."

Bruce chimes in as he looks towards Fury.

"But why did HYDRA want her?"

Steve asks again.

Hill hands out papers to the others.

"June Baker, 22 years old from New York. She joined the army at the age of 18 and has done exceptional progress since then. Excelling in shooting, combat and strategy gained her the title as a second lieutenant at an early age. Several low-risk missions behind her. She's on her way towards the top in full speed. HYDRA might be looking for well-trained, intelligent and young people to build a team of super humans. But more than that we don't know."

Fury explains.

"Damn, that's a good score"

Clint mumbles as he looks at her shooting scores.

"Yes. And combine that with fast healing she would be a dangerous threat."

Bruce adds.

"What will happen to her then? HYDRA will be after her."

Natasha states as she puts June's files down.

"We'll offer her training at S.H.I.E.L.D. Keep a track on her powers. After seeing her determination and work in the army, I assume she won't turn down the offer."

Fury decides confidently.

Tony snorts.

"Are we adding another to the team? Don't you have to apply for that?"

Fury frowns.

"It's the best we can do for her."


	2. Chapter 2

It's been three weeks since June got taken by HYDRA. After realizing she had been injected with a serum that made her body regenerate faster than a normal human she had taken some days off to think about the offer Fury had given her.

Everyone knew the story of 'The Avengers'. The real-life superheroes who had saved the world from the alien invasion some time ago. Why would S.H.I.E.L.D want anything to do with her? She was a regular soldier before this all happened. It didn't matter if she would heal if all she did was get hurt, she would never be able to contribute to a force like that. Bruce Banner had his amazing intelligence and the hulk to back it up. Tony Stark was incredible smart and rich, and used it all to build technology to save the world. Thor was literally a god, and Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton were people she knew little about but she understood they were special agents for S.H.I.E.L.D.

Steve Rogers was a whole different league to her though. She'd grown up with the stories of the American hero's adventures. And when she came to know he was alive and a part of the people saving the world she didn't know how to react. He was a role model to her, someone she looked at for inspiration when her training got tougher that usual. She didn't belong with them.

She had spent sleepless nights thinking about John and the other soldiers who got killed by HYDRA and her sorrow soon turned to anger. John had been one of her closest friends in the field, like a brother and she couldn't save him, even though she had trained for it. The small mission was her first where she was the highest ranked and in command and she had failed.

She'd get up every morning, believing it was all a dream and going to see if she could hurt herself in small ways and not heal by the day. But every time she burned herself slightly on the stove the blister would be gone by the time she went back to bed.

* * *

It had been a week since she got back to her flat and it was the first time she left it. She had finally made an effort to put on some decent clothes, feeling sick of sweats and sports bras.

"Right." She said to herself. "I need food and I need fresh air."

She had gotten a flat in New York a year after the invasion. Some parts of the town were still being constructed but her part was ok and near some few coffee shops and stores, it was the best she could do on her salary, and she didn't need much seeing how often she was at the base and on missions. She locked her front door and went down the stairs, but she excited the back door and down the fire escape. To keep her safe, S.H.I.E.L.D had been keeping a close eye on her. Hidden of course, but she knew they were there.

Her blonde ponytail was bouncing furiously as she walked in a speedy pace through the alleyways, hoping the people tracking her would lose sight. She was heading towards a store she never went to, knowing well that S.H.I.E.L.D probably knew about her favorite grocery store. As she entered she scanned the shelfs, quickly finding what she needed. June had always taken care of her body trying to eat healthy, but after joining the army her awareness of feeding herself a nutritional and balanced diet became a great key to her progress. She stocked her basket with oatmeal, fruit, veggies and lentils knowing that she hadn't been good at eating the couple of days and desperately wanted some minerals.

"I'm more of a pancake kind of guy." A voice came from behind her.

June turned around and was met by a dark man dressed in black.

"Director." June frowned slightly as she placed some bananas in her basket.

"Lieutenant." He nodded back. "I haven't heard back from you about the offer." He continued.

June stiffened. "I'm not what you're looking for, sir." She answered uncomfortably.

"And what makes you qualified to point that out?" He asked, still with a serious expression.

June shrugged. "What makes me qualified for-" she looked around, noticing they were the only ones in the store, even the workers were gone. "S.H.I.E.L.D?" She finished.

"This is not an ego boost, lieutenant. We would not be offering you this if you weren't qualified. The world is growing more and more dangerous, and the more people with special abilities like yours on our side, the bigger chance we have of keeping it going." Fury crossed his arms and looked at her with determination. "We already know you were working towards becoming a special officer, this is your chance to become exactly that, only in a more… Creative way."

June stared at him. She couldn't find anything to answer back, but she still knew she had to think about the offer. It was true, her goal was the special force, even if she was a woman she was planning on getting there. Maybe he was right, maybe this was her chance, and maybe she could contribute in a way.

After a week, she called agent Coulson to take the offer and start a life working with S.H.I.E.L.D, despite her doubts. She gained a pass to the Stark Tower and came daily to let Bruce and Tony run tests on her and train.

* * *

"Let's call it the day. There is really so much you need for each session" Natasha pulled June out of her thoughts.

June had been training for four hours every day, sometimes alone, sometimes with Natasha.

"Okay, I'll go and shoot some bullets then." June nods walking over to her water bottle and gulping it down.

"Don't strain yourself, June, it's only been a couple of weeks. You need time to rest." Natasha says, determined, but she still had some type of 'concern' in her voice.

"I'm fine." June states, not wanting to talk about the issues that's going on inside her head.

* * *

June adds another case to her gun and aims at the carboard shaped as a human. She shoots the person two times in the chest and once in the head, repeating it until she runs out of bullets and adds some more.

"Mozambique?" A voice came from behind her.

June quickly secured her gun and turned around, taking her earplugs out.

Steve was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Captain." She greets him with a nod and straightens up.

Steve nods with a slight smile and pushes of the wall.

"Lieutenant, I don't know how many times I need to tell you this. It's Steve. I know it's hard to adjust after a couple of years, and what's been going on, but you're not at the base now." He positions himself in the booth next to her and draws his own gun.

"You're still a captain outside the base, sir- eh, Steve." June frowns a bit. She still hasn't gotten used to meeting a national hero like Steve daily.

"That's true. But it's pretty tiring having to salute and march every single minute of the day." He answers while loading his gun. "I've read your shooting scores. I'm impressed." He states before shooting the same pattern, Mozambique, two in the chest finished by one in the head.

June watches how the ricochet of the gun barely touches his shoulder, he stands still like a rock. "Thank you. But I'm hardly the best, I still need to train." She replies, not fully taking the compliment.

He turns his head to her and gives his small, but warm, smile again. "I like your drive, lieutenant."

"June. Call me June."

* * *

6 am a few days later June is sitting on the sofa in the common room. She's holding a cup of black coffee while reading a newspaper.

"You're up early." A tired voice states from behind her.

She turns around and smiles weakly at the yawning Bruce Banner. His hair is slightly messy and he doesn't look like he's gotten too much sleep.

"Good morning. I needed a cup of coffee before you and Stark started to treat me as your lab rat." June answers with a slight smirk on her face.

She felt more comfortable around Bruce. He was calm, a bit awkward, and as far as she knew a good guy. She'd spent countless hours with him in the lab by now so she'd learned to be more open to him and less of a soldier. Natasha, Clint and Steve were all nice too, but she still felt slightly intimidated and out of place due to their years of experience and authority. And well, Tony was a whole other case.

"Tony's got some stuff he wanted to test out today so I'm sure that's a smart move. You're also _not_ our lab rat." He says while grabbing himself an apple.

"And you're not up early, you haven't slept." He adds before he takes a bite of his apple.

June ignores his comment and keeps eating. It was true. She hadn't slept, but it wasn't anything she wanted to discuss with him, or anyone.

"Well, look who it is, my little lab rat and assistant." Tony walks into the room with a big grin. He too probably hadn't slept tonight, but that was a usual thing.

"See, I told you. I'm a lab rat." June sighs towards Bruce who continues to bite into his apple, not wanting to waste his energy on the matter.

They had been looking for other possible super human abilities in June since she got to the tower, but so far, regeneration seemed to be her only change. They'd done speed tests, making her run 60 meters again and again to see her speed or if she kept the same speed despite getting tired, but the results were as of a normal and athletic soldier. They had done strength tests, lifting heavy objects, hitting stuff and even arm-wrestling Steve, she had failed that too. But today they were only interested in watching her body heal itself.

The rate of her healing all depended on the seriousness of her injury. So far, she'd only gotten some slight paper cuts, but it seemed that for every time she got a cut her body would remember the healing process and heal faster than before. This time, Tony wanted to take it a step further.

"I mean, in the spirit of protecting the world and dangerous battles, we could shoot you and see how you react to that." Tony thought out loud, not really talking to either June or Bruce.

"Tony…" Bruce said warningly. "We're not shooting her."

June sat on a chair between them, looking back and forth depending on who was talking.

"We could drop you off a building and see if your bones would heal." Tony kept on suggesting.

"No." Bruce replied dissatisfied.

"Alright, alright, we'll give her a slight burn on her arm and see how that works!" Tony finally suggested pulling out a lighter.

June frowned. Even though she healed she still felt the pain as normally. And she'd already done that several times in her own flat before coming to the tower.

"I've tried it, it still heals, though it takes some more time than the papercuts." She declares while crossing her arms.

Tony's eyebrows shoot up. "How long?"

"About 12-14 hours." She answers sounded bored.

"Well, we haven't seen that, I want to see it!" Tony exclaims standing up to find something he can heat up with the lighter.

"Would you be ok with it?" Bruce asks her with concerned eyes.

June shrugs. "I guess so, it's all for science." She replies with a sarcastic undertone.

Eventually, Tony finds a piece of metal and heats it up with the lighter. June braces herself as she lets him hold her arm and places the hot piece on her arm. She curses under her breath but stays still. As he removes it a red and angry mark appears on her skin. It doesn't take long until all three of them can see her skin react and try to heal itself. It's surreal to watch, but they all have sort of gotten used to it by now. Although, June hadn't experienced the burn to heal as quickly as it seems to heal now.

"I thought you said this took longer?" Tony asks fascinated.

"It did the last time." June answers, just as amazed.

"It's the same pattern as the cuts, your cells are learning to heal themselves faster." Bruce states.

"But I still wonder if it does the same with your bones." Tony hums.

June is silence for a while. "If it'll help you with your research I'll do it." She finally states.

Both Tony and Bruce turns towards her with raised eyebrows.

"What?" Bruce asks surprised.

"I said yes to joining and I'll do whatever needs to be done." June answers with a determined look on her face.

Tony smirks. "You heard her Banner, let's give the lieutenant what she wants."

* * *

"Fuck." June mutters under her breath as she realizes what she's said yes to.

"I'm not going to break her leg, Tony!" Steve exclaims and refuses to take the baseball bat Tony is trying to give him.

"It's for science, Steve. We can't bring her on a mission if all we know she can take is some papercuts and burn marks." Tony explains as he still tries to hand the bat to Steve.

"There has to be other ways of doing it!" Steve groans clearly frustrated by the whole situation.

Steve, Tony and Bruce are standing in the lab around June. The room is filled with tension and they are all clearly unsure of what will come out of the situation.

"Just get done with it." June breathes as she tenses all muscles in her body.

Steve sighs loudly as he takes the bat. "If this doesn't work, I'm very sorry." He says before he swings the bat to her leg.

June cries out in pain and let herself fall to the knee on her now good leg. "Holy shit!" She yells.

Steve instantly drops the bat and helps her up. "Are you ok, was it too hard?" He asks almost in panic.

"Well, it's broken alright." June breathes heavily.

"Get her to the MRI scanner." Bruce instructs before walking ahead.

Steve places June's arm over his shoulder and leads her towards the MRI scanner where she is set to lie for at least a few hours.

* * *

"This is amazing!" Tony half yells in a pleased tone. "One week and you're walking just fine!"

One week was all it took for June's leg to completely heal. It was, as Tony stated, amazing.

"And the MRI scans are showing changes every other hour." Bruce adds, just as surprised as Tony.

"What do we do now?" June asks eagerly. She's eager to know the full limit of her body.

Bruce frowns. "I don't think there's much more we can do other than taking some samples and see how they evolve, and try to figure out exactly how HYDRA made you this way."

June's eagerness disappeared. "I guess I'll go back to training then."

* * *

"Twenty!" June grunts as her head crosses the pullup bar. She'd been training for two hours now, relieved she was back at the gym again. Her body was covered in sweat and she'd taken off her shirt a while ago.

She lets go of the bar and lands on her feet with a thump before walking over to catch her breath and get some water.

"I thought only I worked out at this hour." Steve walks in carrying a boxing bag while looking her up and down.

June blushes and finishes her drink. "I didn't know you trained in the tower, Captain?" She asks while wiping the sweat off her forehead.

Steve shrugs. "I don't, but the gym I go to was closed for maintenance today." He hangs up his bag as easily as if it was a pillow.

"How come you pay for a gym and not just train here?" June asks, amazed by his strength.

"I like to get out of the Avengers bubble sometimes." He answers turning towards her. "How's the leg?"

June bends her knee as if testing it. "It's all healed." She says with a smile.

Steve raises his eyebrow. "I'm impressed, and glad." He adds.

June nods quietly and thinks for a while before she speaks. "Captain, can I ask you something?"

Steve starts putting bandages around his knuckles. "Ask away."

June thinks again. "How did you know you were the right guy for the serum, to become Captain America?" She asks in a low voice.

Steve pauses. "I guess I wanted to do what was necessary to help others. I didn't do it to become a hero, I did it because it was the right thing to do."

June stays silent and looks down at her water bottle.

"There is no shame in having doubts, June." Steve says after some time. "But the only thing you can do is follow your instincts." And with that he starts hitting the bag with full force.


	3. Chapter 3

Another few weeks had passed and June was doing better than ever. She had shown great progress in her training and healing powers, which had helped a for her confidence. S.H.I.E.L.D had been working hard to track down HYDRA but it seemed that every time they got one step closer, HYDRA moved two steps away. But today, June had other matters to handle. It was the day she would have come home from her deployment and her parents would be expecting her to come home.

5.30 am her alarm woke her from a light slumber. She quickly got up and made sure to do her bed, a habit she gained from all the inspections during her training in the force. She bent down to the floor and did a set of push-ups before she headed towards the shower.

* * *

June stood outside her parent's door in her green uniform. Her parents lived in a nice, but small house in Albany, so not too far from her own flat. She took a big breath before she unlocked the door with her key and headed in.

"Mom? Dad?" She called out as she stepped inside the living room.

A man in his fifties sat on the sofa with his head towards the TV. He quickly turned around with a big smile on his face. "June! You're back! Nancy, June is home!" He half yelled, still with a smile on his face.

June smiled and stepped forward to give her father, who stood up, a hug. "I've missed you!"

A woman enters the living room in a rush and embraces both at the same time. "Oh, June! You're finally back!" She cried with tears in her eyes.

"Mom, don't get all emotional, I was only gone for three months." June laughs as she hugs her mother back.

"That's three months too long!" Nancy exclaims.

The three of them sat down in the sofa and they all spoke of what they had been up to for the last few months. June felt happy, but she couldn't let her parents know the true story of what had happened. And she definitively couldn't tell them about her new abilities and team.

"So, dear, how was the mission? Everything went well?" Her father, Thomas, asked as he took a sip of the coffee Nancy had made them.

June shrugged. "It was alright, just a general and boring mission to be honest. Nothing to talk about really." She lied.

Thomas nodded. "Well, I hope you keep it that way. I can't imagine my girl being in danger, you're safer here at home." He states.

Thomas and Nancy never liked the idea of June's wishes to join the army. Nancy was a midwife, while Thomas was a family practitioner. They had met through work and got married two years later. However, they did understand all June wanted was to serve her country and protect the weak just as they also helped others. June guessed it was in her blood.

After about an hour or so of catching up Nancy stood up. "You do look like you've lost some weight honey, I've prepared a big homemade meal for your arrival. You must be starved for a decent meal!" She said and gestured towards the kitchen.

June smiled. Her mother was the kind of mother who would never let her child go to bed hungry. And living in a home filled with health workers she was always fed good and healthy meals.

"Is it lasagna?" June asks, knowing that Nancy would always make her lasagna for her coming home.

Thomas chuckles. "Of course, June, do you even have to ask?"

"Well, come on, it's been in the oven for long enough now, no point in letting it burn!" Nancy ushered them towards the kitchen.

June felt incredible lucky to have such a loving family. After what she had seen it didn't seem as if any of the Avengers had any families left. The only one she knew was Pepper who was there for Tony. The rest seemed alone. Knowing this and having finally met up with her family again, she was more worried about protecting them.

* * *

John's funeral was today. It had taken some time to get everything sorted after HYDRA's attack. What to tell the families and what to give out to the press. June stood in the back wearing her formal uniform. People were crying as her Captain spoke and even more people cried when his mother recited a poem about death and the afterlife, and spoke about how proud she was of her late son. June didn't cry though. She was filled with anger, along with sorrow. Seeing John's family and friends like this was the last thing she wanted for her own family and friends.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hall, I'm very sorry for your loss." June walked up to John's parents after the funeral finished.

Mrs. Hall turned towards her with red eyes. "You were in the field with him?" She asked with a faint voice.

June nodded. "I was. We were close. I trusted him like a brother."

Mr. Hall's expression dropped, he'd stayed strong for the entire funeral. "Were you with him?" He asked, almost not daring to ask the question.

June looked down, not wanting to answer. "No, I stayed behind." She lied.

Mr. Hall nodded. "I'm glad you had a good relationship, I'm sure everyone needs a friend out in the field."

"They do." June agreed.

After saying goodbye to the Halls her Captain approached her.

"Lieutenant." He saluted her.

"Captain." She saluted back.

"The loss has hit the team hard." He stated. "But losing you had also hit us hard." He finishes.

June looks up at him with a serious expression. "I've had other… Tasks to handle." She didn't exactly know what her captain knew.

"We've got another mission ready to start in a month and half. Would you be done with your tasks by then?" He questions giving her the same serious expression.

"Sir, I can't say that for sure." She was taken off guard by his request.

"I'll send you the mission report, lieutenant, it's a higher level than you've operated on before." He finishes as he steps back. "We need you."

* * *

Meeting her parents again in addition to John's funeral, his parents and her captains request had all hit her hard. And June found herself once again doubting if she made the right decision to join S.H.I.E.L.D. She took some days off training and stayed away from the Stark Tower and the S. H.I.E.L.D base to think clearer. But after four days she had made her decisions.

"What is so important that you had to interrupt my lunch, lieutenant?" Nick Fury was sitting at his desk as June stood with her arms crossed behind her back, at ease.

"I've gotten a mission request from my captain, director." She states.

"And you want to go." Fury finishes for her.

"I feel I am more useful in the field where I actually get to handle missions, sir." She replies in her usual 'on duty' voice. "S.H.I.E.L.D has yet to let me go on a mission and I don't like being put on hold."

Fury leans forward and smirks. "You think you're a decoration?"

"That's how it feels, and it's not what I signed up for. Besides, it will be safer for my family if I had less to do with S.H.I.E.L.D."

Fury pauses. There room was filled with tension. Both stared each other down.

Finally, Fury speaks. "Very well, lieutenant. If you feel you are better suited for the army then so be it. But we'll keep in touch, maybe we need you to be more than a decoration in the future."

"If that is what you wish, sir." June nods and steps down.


	4. Chapter 4

A year had passed. By that time Second Lieutenant Baker was now First Lieutenant Baker with two more deployments and medium-risk missions behind her. She had grown into a stronger and more skilled soldier than she was before, the confidence with it. Her healing abilities had gotten faster too, especially since she got shot in the thigh and was sent home to heal. She had to fake her own recovery. During that time S.H.I.E.L.D had collapsed and information, including hers, was leaked.

June found herself at her home base drilling a group of newcomers when an officer came jogging towards her.

"Lieutenant, it's for you." The officer says as he handed her a phone.

June takes it to her ear. "Lieutenant June Baker."

"We need you." A familiar voice speak.

June new exactly what that meant.

* * *

"This time, I want all the information." June crosses her arms determined.

Steve stands before her with Maria Hill next to him. "We've found Strucker's base in Sokovia. He has the scepter Loki used for the invasion." He explains and hands her the report. "We need to stop him, retrieve the scepter and figure out if he's got more people like you."

June opens the report and scans through it. "Why are you calling me in for this?" She asks as she reads.

"You wanted to take him down, we need all the help we can get after S.H.I.E.L.D's fall." Hill clarifies.

June closes the folder. "Alright, I need some gear then."

* * *

"I'll be light on my feet at least." June sighs as she tests out her new suit, like the one Natasha wears. She had two guns strapped to each of her thighs, a knife in her boot and a belt filled with grenades, bullets, and other useful stuff. But not having her helmet, M16 or a big bulletproof vest was going to take some time getting used to.

"You'll get used to it fairly quickly once you realize you can kick someone in the face without having your gear in the way." Natasha smirks.

"I hope so." June nods with a smirk, keen to give the people who had hurt her teammates and herself a good beating.

"You'll need this though." Natasha hands her an earpiece.

"Thanks." June places it in her ear. "Let's get going."

* * *

June held onto Steve tightly as they made their way through the snow in the woods. HYDRA soldiers were shooting at them and she was shooting back as Steve ran over some. Hulk was right behind them smashing through as many as his big and powerful body could. This was the first time ever she'd seen The Hulk in real life, she was terrified but amazed at the same time. Tony was high up in the air making is way towards the building, that looked more like a fortress. Natasha and Clint stayed behind at ground level beating down anyone who came in their way.

"Let me off here." She half yells in Steve's ear. Steve slows down the motorcycle and she rolls off before he continues forward.

Without notice Tony yells as he tries to get to the building. "Shit!"

"Language." Steve comments before he asks Jarvis for intel on the forcefield that was protecting it.

June is surrounded by HYDRA soldiers but seems to handle it well, shooting some and knocking others out. Thor come flying from the sky and helps her beat the rest of them.

"Loki's scepter must be here!" He says throwing his hammer through a row of soldiers.

"I think we lost the element of surprise." Clint comments as he continues to shoot his arrows, hitting perfectly every time.

"Wait, no one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?" Tony asks, clearly with a smirk on his face.

"I know." Steve huffs back as he throws his motorcycle at a car coming towards him. "It just slipped out."

* * *

Inside the HYDRA base Strucker walks in.

"Who's making the attack?" He asks hastily.

"Mr. Strucker, it's the Avengers. But it seems the lieutenant we injected a year ago is with them." An officer answers.

Strucker frowns. "So, she's decided to work with them but still come back here?" He asks, not waiting for a reply. "They're after the scepter."

"Send out the twins." A voice came from behind him. "It's what they signed up for. Let's show them and the lieutenant what she decided to run away from." The man says as he gestures towards the twins.

"No, they're not ready, my men can hold the Avengers." Strucker says and turns away.

But what he didn't see was that the twins were already on their way.

* * *

"I could use a little help here guys." June says in her speaker as she is surrounded by a group of soldiers.

"I'm on it." She hears Clint say before an arrow hits a guy in the back.

June grabs one of the men's weapon towards her, dragging the man holding it with it and knees him in the head before he falls to the ground. "You were right Natasha, it is easier without the gear." She says before she points the gun towards another one.

Once they're all taken down Clint and June looks around. Out of nowhere, a force takes them both down. June looks around as Clint stands up.

A young man with white hair in a tracksuit smirks. "You didn't see that coming?" Before he runs off again with an amazing speed.

June gasps. _'Another one of Strucker's super humans?'_

But before any of them can react the man run towards a bunker and shoots Clint in the stomach. Clint cries out and stays on the ground.

"Clint!" June yells and hurries to his side.

He's bleeding heavily from his side and is groaning loudly. Natasha comes running and shoots around them as June tries to put pressure on the wound.

"You get the bad guys, I'll stay with him." June says as she keeps filling his wound with bandage.

Natasha nods hesitantly. "Someone needs to deal with that bunker." She says while shooting towards it.

As needed Hulk runs by and crashes through it.

"Thank you." Natasha says as she covers June and Clint.

* * *

Tony finally manages to remove the forcefield around the building and is looking for intel and the scepter. Thor and Steve manages to overpower the rest of the guards outside.

"It's time for a lullaby." Steve commands Natasha.

Natasha heads off, while Thor takes both June and Clint to the jet.

"I've got him, go help out with the others." June says, never letting go of the pressure on Clint's wound.

"Very well, keep him awake." Thor says before he disappears.

Clint breathes heavily and growls slightly every time he moves.

"I can't work properly with these gloves." June states as she removes one glove. "How you holding up, Clint?" She asks concerned.

Clint nods as sweat is running down his forehead. "Not my greatest day, but you know, comes with the job." He answers with a strained voice.

"If you see a great light, don't go towards it." June smirks.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He answers lowly, trying to smile too.

As June removes her other glove she goes back to put on pressure and accidentally touches her hand to Clint's skin. Suddenly June can feel a great burning on the side of her stomach. Had she been hit in the field too without realizing it? The burning gets hotter and hotter until it gets unbearable. June let's out a loud cry as she falls to the ground, still trying to keep pressure on Clint's wound.

"June!" Clint yells. "Guys, we need some help here, June is down too!" June hears him scream before she falls unconscious.

* * *

June wakes up and realizes she's still in the jet, only she's been moved higher up. Her side is feeling raw. "What happened?" She asks as she sees Clint next to her and the others safe.

"We got the scepter. Strucker is taken down and everyone is safe." Steve explains.

"How's Clint?" June asks as she tries to sit up. But as she tries pain shoots through her side and she quickly let's out a pained grunt.

"I'm ok." Clint answers lowly from her side. "Though I think I need to thank you for that." He finishes.

June looks at him and blinks confused. "What do you mean?"

"You've got the exact same wound, June. You seemed to transfer parts of his damage onto yourself, relieving him of some of it in the process." Natasha says from Clint's side. She was clearly more worried for him than for June, but who could blame her after their history.

June frowns. "How is that possible?" She asks even more confused.

"We'll have to figure that out when we get back." Tony joins in. "Right now, we need to secure the scepter and get back quickly to patch you both up."


	5. Chapter 5

Back at the Stark Tower Clint is taken by Doctor Cho to get patched up. As Cho is doing her work Bruce stands beside her looking very excited.

"She's creating tissue." He says with a wide grin.

"How is that possible?" June asks just as amazed as Bruce.

"It wouldn't be without your DNA." Dr. Cho turns towards June.

June lifts her eyebrows. "My DNA?" She asks.

Bruce smiles awkwardly. "Yeah, I might have lent her some of your DNA when I found out she was working on this…" He admits as he scratches the back of his head.

June sighs. "Lab rat." She mumbles as she takes a sip of water.

"If you brought him to my lab, the regeneration cradle could do this in twenty minutes." Dr. Cho adds proudly.

Stark walks in with a drink for Clint. "Oh, he's flatlining. Call it." He jokes.

Clint laughs and takes the drink. "No, no, I'll be made of plastic."

"You'll be made of you Mr. Barton. Your girlfriend won't even know the difference." Dr. Cho smiles.

"I don't have a girlfriend." Clint says and takes a sip.

"That I can't fix." She turns around.

Dr. Cho keeps working as Tony jumps in to invite her to a party on Saturday.

"And you too, lieutenant." He points towards June. "If you're staying in my team you're following my rules." He smirks.

* * *

After getting patched up, June is finds herself standing outside Hill's office in the tower. She knocks on the door with determination.

"Come in." She hears her call.

June steps in and closes the door behind her. "I want more detail." She states and goes to stand before Hill's desk.

Hill opens a drawer from her desk and places a folder on it. June sits down and opens it.

"What's the deal about the other super humans? I heard Steve was attacked by another one. A woman." June asks as she flips through the folder.

"Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. Twins from Sokovia. Unlike you, they volunteered for Strucker's experiments and gained different powers. He has a fastened metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis, he's super-fast. While the girl gained neuro-electric interfacing, telekinesis and mental manipulation, messes with your brain." Hill explains calmly.

June frowns. "Why did I get this boring ability when Strucker has seemed to make more impressive super people?" She asks.

Hill smirks slightly. "I guess you'll have to ask him about that. And seeing your newly found ability of healing others I wouldn't say you're not impressive, lieutenant." She says.

"What made them join Strucker?" June wondered.

"I'm not sure, but Sokovia is a poor country with a lot of difficulties. I'm sure they had their reasons, but if they're working for HYDRA they are the enemy and they need to be stopped. Who knows, it's not unlikely that Strucker has more enhanced people he's yet to tell us about. I'm sure it's not the last time we'll meet the Maximoffs." Hill replies.

* * *

It's Saturday and June finds herself starring at her closet. What does one wear to one of Tony Stark's parties? Unlike what many assumed, June Baker was a girl who enjoyed getting dressed up and many would not guess she was a First Lieutenant when she wore her usual feminine style. But being a soldier was a big part of why she enjoyed getting dressed up on her time off. The army didn't give any space for nice hairstyles, noticeable make up or clothing that gave away she had woman's body. She was fine with that, but during her time off she spent a fair amount on expressing herself by her appearance. Sometimes she even wore colorful socks in her army boots as a little secret of her own. And being deployed for some time until now made her excited to wear a dress.

* * *

June enters the party wearing a deep blue dress. June kept it modest without a cleavage and long arms, but the dress had a slit on the side that started on her mid-thigh and down to right above her knee where the dress ended. Her hair was curled and she wore red lipstick that looked great with her pale skin and blond hair.

"Lieutenant, I didn't know you could look like this, in a dress and everything." Tony greets her with a big grin.

June blushes and smiles back. "Well, I couldn't turn up in my uniform, could I?"

Tony laughs as he hands her a drink. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Music is playing loudly and people are dancing, chatting and playing pool. Everyone seems to have a wonderful time.

"Come on, I'd like you to meet someone." Tony pulls June with him.

"Rhodes, this it First Lieutenant June Baker. June this is Colonel James Rhodes, aka. War Toy." Tony grins as he introduces her to Rhodes who is standing with Hill and Thor.

Rhodes sighs. "Haha, very funny, Stark. It's War Machine." He says and takes June's hand. "Nice to meet you lieutenant, I've heard great things about you."

"Nice to meet you too, Colonel." She takes his hand and shakes it.

They stand and chat for a bit and Rhodes starts telling a story about one of his missions.

"I'm like boom! You looking for this?" He ends it with a proud smile.

June snorts, amused and impressed by his actions.

Thor and Tony stares at him without any changed expression.

"Was that the whole story?" Thor asks.

"Yes, a War Machine story." Rhodes says with a shrug, clearly not appreciating their reaction.

"Oh, well it's very good! It's impressive." He laughs and takes a sip of his drink.

June can see this situation is ending awkwardly and leaves the men to have their macho comparisons in peace.

After a while she runs into Steve and someone else he seems to be on a good side with.

"June!" Steve smiles brightly but his smile soon turns into a blush as he looks at her properly. "You, eh, look great." He compliments her.

June smiles as she blushes too. "Thanks, Cap, you don't look too bad yourself."

"June, this is Sam Wilson." Steve gestures towards the man standing next to him.

"Nice to meet you, June." Sam says and shakes her hand.

"Same to you." She smiles. "How do you two know each other?" She asks.

"I ran past him as he was walking his morning walk." Steve smirks as he looks at Sam.

Sam laughs. "Don't you start with that!"

June grins. "So, what do you do, Sam?"

"I was a former pararescue in the air force, but now I help other soldiers with PSTD after they come back from the field." Sam answers proudly.

"That's very admirable of you." June says impressed.

"And you?" Sam asks curiously.

"First lieutenant of an army platoon, nothing exciting" She smirks.

"I would have never guessed by that dress, but your posture says it all." Sam laughs as he takes a sip of his drink.

* * *

The rest of the evening seemed to go smoothly. June was a bit worried she would find it awkward but the Avengers were a solid team and they made sure everyone had an enjoyable time. The rest of the guest had left and it was just the team, Dr. Cho and Rhodes, gathered around a table trying to see who could lift Thor's hammer. All the guys have tried, but none has succeeded.

"June, Natasha?" The boys turn towards the two of them.

Natasha smiles. "No, that's not a question I need answered." She says.

June takes a sip of her drink. "Sorry, my backs a bit sore." She says with a guilty grin.

"It's just a genetic fingerprint!" Tony suggests sounding convinced.

Thor stands up. "Yes, of course. Or..." He says as he picks up the hammer as if it was a toy hammer. "You're all not worthy."

As soon as Thor has the hammer secured in his grip a loud screeching sound is heard. They all turn around and is met by something that looks like one of Tony's half-put together robots. It's walking towards them.

"How could you be worthy?" It asks with a deep and terrifying voice. "You're all killers."

Tony tries to contact Jarvis but is left unanswered.

The robot keeps wobbling as it mumbles to itself about being tangled in strings and having to kill some other guy.

"You killed someone?" Steve asks.

June places her hand on her upper thigh, where she has strapped a small gun, you never knew if you'd need one.

"Who sent you?" Thor asks.

The robot plays a familiar voice. "I see a suit of armor around the world." It was Tony's voice coming from the robot.

They all go silent for a while before Bruce seem to understand. "Ultron." He says.

"In the flesh. Or metal I should say." The robot, Ultron, answers. "I'm on a mission. Peace of our time." He says as several other robots come flying through the glass walls.

June grabs her gun and unsecure it, firing it at one of the robots coming toward her. The others are also defending themselves. But before she knows June gets thrown into a wall and lands on her already hurt side.

One of the robots grabs Loki's scepter. "The Scepter!" June yells as she gets to her feet, but it was too late, the robot was gone.

Steve jumps onto one of the robots' back and is soon slammed against a wall. Natasha is leading Bruce to safety, making sure Hulk won't come on a visit.

Clint is trying to get to safety too but trapped in-between a wall and a robot.

"Clint, grab!" June yells and throws a spare gun she kept in her purse.

Clint grabs it and starts shooting at the robot until it shuts off and hits the ground. He then grabs Steve's shield and flings it towards him. Steve grabs it and jams it into the last robot.

Ultron starts rambling again. "I know you mean well, but you're all just doing a terrible job, to be honest. How are you going to save humanity if you're not allowing it to evolve? The only way to do that is to destroy the Avengers." He finishes before Thor throws a hammer through him.


End file.
